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PROGRAM
Educational Objectives:

Upon completion of this workshop, participants should be able to:
  • Recognize MR safety concerns involving static magnetic fields, time-varying gradients, and radio-frequency fields;
  • Recommend methods to minimize patient heating from surface coils and other conductors;
  • Implement procedures to minimize patient and operator safety concerns;
  • Compare various national and international safety standards and limits;
  • Identify potential safety flaws in their current clinical scanning procedures;
  • Evaluate safety aspects of new MR technologies currently under development.
Saturday, 22 February

17:00-19:00

 Registration and Poster set-up
Sunday, 23 February

08:15

 Welcome
David G. Norris, Ph.D., FC Donders Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
SESSION I B0 Safety; Moderator, David Norris, Ph.D.

08:30-09:15

 Static Field Safety Issues in MRI
John F. Schenck, Ph.D., M.D., G.E. Corporate Research and Development Center, Schenectady, NY, USA
  Proferred Papers
09:15-09:30 MRI and pregnancy: risks to the foetus
Janet DeWilde
09:30-09:45 In vitro evaluation of MR related effects on migration of human fetal and embryonic cells
Enno A. Rodegerdts

09:45-10:15

 Discussion

10:15-10:30

 Break
SESSION II Gradient-Induced Stimulation Safety; Moderator, Werner Irnich, Ph.D.

10:30-11:10

 Stimulations by pulsed gradient fields - Fundamentals
Werner Irnich, Ph.D., Department of Medical Engineering, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
11:10-11:35 Peripheral Nerve Stimulation and other Safety Issues Associated with MRI Pulsed Gradients
John Nyenhuis, Ph.D., Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
  Proferred Papers
11:35-11:50 Problems with equating E with d-dA/dt in assessing peripheral nerve stimulation due to switched magnetic gradient fields
Martin Bencsik
11:50-12:05 Reducing peripheral nerve stimulation due to transverse gradient coil switching using a concomitant field coil
Martin Bencsik
12:05:12:25 Discussion
12:25-13:30 Break
SESSION III Acoustic Noise; Moderator, Mark McJury, Ph.D.

13:30-14:15

 Acoustic noise issues in MRI: A Review
Mark J. McJury, Ph.D., Department of Radiotherapy Physics, Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield, England, UK
  Proffered Papers
14:15-14:30 A novel MRI gradient coil structure for passive acoustic noise attenuation
Martin Bencsik
14:30-14:45 Acoustic noise: an investigation of 28 MRI systems fron 0.2T to 3T
David Price
14:45-15:00 Discussion
15:00-15:15 Break
SESSION IV RF Safety; Moderator, John A. Nyenhuis, Ph.D.
15:15-16:00 RF-Induced Power Deposition Safety Concerns in MR
Daniel J. Schaefer, Ph.D., G.E. Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI, USA
  Proffered Papers
16:00-16:15 Analysis of B1 fields external to birdcage RF coils for MRI risk assessment
Katherine Rowley
16:15-16:30 Safety of RF coils and coil arrays at high fields: measurements and stimulations
Frank Seifert
16:30-16:45 Mathodology for in-vivo tissue temperature rise due to RF absorption in a 3T whole body MR system
Ronald D. Watkins
16:45-17:15 Discussion
17:15 Break for evening
Monday, 24 February
SESSION V Other Safety Issues I (Implants); Moderator, Ergin Atalar, Ph.D.
08:00-08:45 Safety of invasive devices in MRI
Ergin Atalar, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
  Proffered Paper
08:45-09:00 RF heating effects around resonant lengths of wire
Jacqueline Pictet
09:00-09:15 MRI with implanted neurostimulators: safety issues
Jens-Christoph Georgi
09:15-09:30 Discussion
09:30-09:45 Break
SESSION VI Other Safety Issues II (Contrast Agents & Interventional MRI); Moderator, Val M. Runge, M.D.
09:45-10:30 Update on Contrast Agent Safety
Val M. Runge, M.D., Scott and White Clinic and Hospital, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA
10:30-11:15 Safety issues during interventional MR
Arno Bücker, M. D., Klinik für Radiologische Diagnostik, Aachen, Germany
  Proffered Papers
11:15-11:30 Temporal neurobehavioral effects among subjects exposed to high static and dynamic fields from MRI systems
Frank de Vocht
11:30-11:45 Safety considerations in interventional cardiac MRI
Stephen Keevil
11:45-12:00 Discussion
12:00-13:00 Break
13:00 - 13:15 Keynote Address:  Staatsminister Eberhard Sinner, Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit, Ernährung und Verbraucherschutz (Eberhard Sinner, Minister of the Bavarian State, Ministry of the Bavarian State for Health, Food and Consumer Protection)
SESSION VII Harmonization of World Wide Standards; Moderator: Jürgen H. Bernhardt, Ph.D.
13:30-13:50 Update on ICNIRP Developments
Jürgen H. Bernhardt, ICNIRP c/o Institute for Radiation Hygiene, Munich-Oberschleissheim
13:50-14:05 Update on MR Safety Standards in the United States
Loren Zaremba, Ph.D., U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD, USA
14:05-14:20 Update on MR Safety Standards in the United Kingdom
Janet De Wilde, Ph.D., Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College of STM, London, England, UK
14:20-14:35 Update on MR Safety Standards in Germany
Jürgen Hennig, Ph.D., Universität Freiburg, Germany
14:35-14:55 Recent and Future Developments for MR Standards
Hans Engels, Ph.D., Philips Medical Systems, The Netherlands
14:55-15:30 Panel Discussion: Harmonization of MR Safety Standards Around the World
Dr. J. Bernhardt, Dr. J. De Wilde, Dr. G. Brix, Dr. H. Engels, Dr. L. Zaremba,  

15:30-15:45

 Break
SESSION VIII MR Clinical Safety; Moderator, Joel Felmlee, Ph.D.

15:45-16:15

 MR Clinical Safety Practices
Donald M. Hadley, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D., Department of Clinical Physics and Neuroradiology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
16:15-17:10 MR Screening and Safety Procedures
Anne Sawyer-Glover, B.S., R.T.(R)(MR), MR Whole Body Research Systems, Lucas Center for MRS/I, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
17:10-17:15 Questions
17:15-17:45 Panel Discussion: Safe Clinical Practices
Dr. D. Hadley, A. Sawyer-Glover, Dr. J. Felmlee
17:45 Adjournment